Cluster mold



June 1931- R. G. REDMANN ,807,753

CLUSTER MOLD Filed July 8, 1929 +3 Te ew TE'pZiZ T 1A TTORNEYSL Patented June 2, 1931 PATENT GFFEQE ROBERT G. REDMANN, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT CLUSTER MOLD Application filed July 8, 1929. Serial No. 376,820.

My invention relates to improvements in cluster molds for use in casting ingots of nonferrous metals, involving the close association of a plurality of individual mold structures into a unitary structure, and the object of my improvement is to produce a cluster mold in which the molds are distributed around a central. open structure in which is incorporated a suitable tank or the like for use as a water-j acket and which central structure is surmounted by a pouring cup that is adapted to. feed all of the molds with molten metal simultaneously and which mold structure as a whole is supported by wheelstructures that 1 permit of being moved bodily, particularly rotated on the vertical axis for the purpose of facilitating the removal of the castings, the structure being especially adapted to speedup the casting of ingots in the form of bars, which latter are commonly of relatively great length, such as eight feet or so, and which, therefore, can be poured slowly only, involving possibly a twenty minute period for such pouring.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved cluster mold.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 33 so of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one of the pin-locking connections for the mold parts.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View of one of the individual mold tops with the pouring cup or strainer removed.

My improved cluster mold is a verticallyelongated structure that is adapted particularly for the relatively specific function of speeding-up the casting of ingots of rod form and which are commonly of great length relatively to the diameter. The rods may be of two inches diameter or two inches and a quarter and the like and have a length of eight feet.

To produce good rods the pouring must be effected slowly. My cluster mold facilitates the pouring and speedsup production by permitting of pouring the molten metal into a single relatively large cup or strainer, from 9, which the metal is distributed to a plurality of mold structuresb' means of deliver 0 ena y y P ings that are properly located to register with the different individual molds 10 for the rods.

Said individual bar molds 10, as shown, are of circular form or cross-section. Square rods may be similarly made or shapes and sizes of difierent kinds as may be desired.

The individual bar molds 10 are formed in the usual manner in the individual mold structures 11, of which a set of four is shown and which are arranged around the four sides of a central column that is of square crosssection.

Said column 12 is generally hollow, having a closed bottom 13, the interior space 14 above said bottom 13serving as a chamber for water or water-jacketL Openings through the enclosing Walls and connecting with the chamber 14 may be provided, such asthe bottom opening 15 and the top opening 16.

The upper end portion of the chamber 14 is enlarged to provide a shelf or shoulder 17- for a cover 18 and also to provide a four-sided receiving chamber or mouth 19 for the corresponding shaped pendant guide part 20 of the cup 21.

The support for the column 12 and the structure as a whole comprises a set of four Wheels '22 which, as'shown, ride in a groove or track 23 of circular form in a base 45.

The cup 21 is provided with bottom lugs or feet 24 that are located exterior to the square guide part 20 and that rest upon the upper face 25 of the column 12, and is providedwith the delivery openings 26 that register with the individual bar molds 10. The interior space 27 of the cup 21 is provided with a set of cross-ribs or dams 28 that serve to subdivide said space to correspond to the different mold structures 11 or bar molds 10, as may be desired to provide some control to the feeding of the metal to the molds, such as to prevent flooding some of the molds before others may have been filled.

A mold structure 11 comprises a back part and a front part that cooperate to form the chamber for the individual bar mold 10 and as is common, each mold structure 11 provides two individual molds 12, side by side.

In the present structure the back parts 29 of the individual mold structures 11 are incorporated in the structure of the column 12 and the four back parts 29 virtually constitute the four side walls thereof.

The front mold parts 30 are hinged by their lower ends 31 to the mating back part 29 in each case.

Any form of locking means may be provided for the mold parts. I prefer, however, to use the improved locking means shown, involving the use of a tapered pin 82 that cooperates with suitable supporting elements on the back part 29 and that overhangs by its small end 33 the outer face 34 of the front part 30.

The supporting elements mentioned comprise a loop of steel that has the yoke portion 35 exposed so that the bar or pin 32 can be thrust therethrough or through the open space 36 that is provided thereby and the two legs 87 of which are cast into the material of the back part 29. The loop 35 is positioned closely adjacent the side edge 38 of the front part 30, and the large end 39 of the pin 32 rests in a guide-notch 4:0 in a rib 41 on the back part 29.

The tapered pin 32 is of conical form and made of steel.

The described mold locking means provides a structure that permits of some yielding under conditions of use, as is desirable, as such use involves excessive heat conditions and relatively enormous pressures for the holding parts.

A group of the molds as described may be mounted on a turntable or the like in any approved manner for large scale operation.

The dams 28 have been mentioned for con trollingthe feed of the molten metal to the mold structures and bar molds. These are provided in the cup 21, are in the form of cross-wall structures that are somewhat lower in elevation than the outside wall structure 42, and serve to subdivide the interior cup structure into a plurality of individual receptaclcs that discharge into the different molds. The cup is located above the top face 25 of the column 12 and in spaced relation thereto.

In order to further facilitate the distribution of the molten metal I find it desirable to provide in the top face 25 itself a connecting groove in the form of a depression 13 that connects the different molds 10. Said groove 4-3 is continuous, except as it is interrupted by the half-molds l4 that are provided in the structure of the column 12.

The movable mold parts may be supported by means of a book hinge in lieu of the bottom hinge shown.

I claim as my invention 1. A cluster mold comprising an elongated column of polygonal form of cross-section, the sides of said column constituting each an individual mold part, a separable mold part cooperating with each of said first named mold parts, and a common pouring cup structure for the difierent molds surmounting said column.

2. A cluster mold as described in claim 1, said sides enclosing a space that has a closed bottom for supporting a water-column.

l3. A cluster mold as described in claim 1, said mold being provided with supporting wheels and a base that has a circular guideway for said wheels.

4. In a cluster mold, a column having mold structures incorporated in the side walls and provided with an open interior space that has a closed bottom for supporting a watercolumn, a pouring cup mounted on the top face of column, and a plate that serves as a shield for said cup intermediate the top of said water-column and cup.

5. A cluster mold comprising an elongated column of polygonal form of cross-section, the sides of said column constituting each an individual mold part, and a separable mold part cooperating with each of said first named mold parts for completing a mold for each of said sides.

6. A cluster mold as described in claim 5, said sides enclosing a space that is provided with a closed bottom for supporting a water column.

ROBERT G. REDMANN. 

